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Downton Abbey (programme)
' Downton Abbey'' '''is a British television period drama series, produced by British media company Carnival Films for the ITV network. The series is set during the late Edwardian era (after Edward VII's death) and the First World War in the fictional estate of Downton Abbey in Yorkshire, and features an ensemble cast. It was created and principally written by actor and writer Julian Fellowes, and premiered on ITV on 26 September 2010. Reception of the programme was predominantly positive; ratings were extremely high for what is usually considered a 'genre' show, and the first series picked up a number of awards and nominations after its initial run. It has subsequently become the most successful British costume drama since the 1981 television serial version of Brideshead Revisited, and in 2011 it entered the Guinness Book of World Records as the 'most critically acclaimed television show' for the year, becoming the first British show to win the award. On 3 November 2011, ITV confirmed that a third series has been commissioned and will air from September 2012. Overview The series is set in the fictional Downton Abbey, Yorkshire, country house of the Earl and Countess of Grantham, and follows the lives of the aristocratic Crawley family and their servants early in the reign of George V. The first series spans the two years prior to the Great War, commencing with news of the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sinking_of_the_Titanic sinking of the ''Titanic], an event that sets the story in motion. The second series covers the years 1916 to 1919. Highclere Castle in Hampshire was used for exterior shots of Downton Abbey as well as for some of the interior filming, with the servants' living areas constructed and filmed at Ealing Studios. The village of Bampton in Oxfordshire was used for filming the outdoor scenes, most notably St Mary's Church and the village library, which serves as the entrance to the cottage hospital. The North Yorkshire towns of Malton, Easingwold, Kirkby, Kirkbymoorside, Middlesbrough, Ripon and Richmond have also been mentioned by characters in the series. The first series cost an estimated £1 million per episode, and is the most successful British period drama since [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brideshead_Revisited_(TV_serial) Brideshead Revisited], with British ratings exceeding 10 million viewers. The series was also well received in the United States, averaging over 6 million viewers per episode. Upstairs *The Rt Hon The Dowager Countess of Grantham, Violet Crawley. Mother of Robert and Rosamund, played by Maggie Smith - (Series 1 - present) *The Rt Hon The Earl of Grantham, Robert Crawley, owner of Downton Abbey, played by Hugh Boneville. (Series 1 - present) *The Rt Hon The Countess of Grantham, Cora Crawley. The American wife of Robert, played by Elizabeth McGovern. - (Series 1 - present) *Lady Mary Crawley, eldest daughter of Robert and Cora, played by Michelle Dockery - (Series 1 - present) *Lady Edith Crawley, second daughter of Robert and Cora, played by Laura Carmichael - (Series 1 - present) *Lady Sybil Crawley, youngest daughter of Robert and Cora, played by Jessica Brown-Findlay - (Series 1 - present) *Lady Rosamund Painswick, née Crawley. Sister of Robert, played by Samantha Bond - (Series 1 - present) *Mrs Isobel Crawley, mother of Matthew, played by Penelope Wilton - (Series 1 - present) *MMr Matthew Crawley, third cousin once removed of Robert; heir presumptive to Downton Abbey, played by Dan Stevens - (Series 1 - present) *Miss Lavinia Swire, fiancée of Matthew played by Zoey Boyle - (Series 2) *Sir Richard Carlisle, tabloid publisher and fiancé to Mary, played by Iain Glen - (Series 2) *Dr Richard Clarkson *Mr George Murray *Sir Anthony Strallan *The Hon. Evelyn Napier *Duke of Crowborough *Mr Kemal Pamuk *Lord Hepworth *Major Charles Bryant *Patrick Gordon *Mr Bryant Downstairs *Mr. Carson, played by Jim Carter *Mrs. Hughes, played by Phyllis Logan *John Bates, played by Brendan Coyle *O'Brien, played by Siobhan Finneran *Mrs. Patmore, played by Lesley Nicol *Thomas, played by Rob James-Collier *Anna, played by Joanne Froggatt *Daisy, played by Sophie McShera *William, played by Thomas Howes *Gwen, played by Rose Leslie *Branson, played by Allen Leech *Ethel *Jane *Lynch *Molesley *Mrs Bird *Andrew Lang *Marigold Shore *Taylor *Mr Charles Grigg *Joe Burns *John Drake *Mrs Drake *Vera Bates *Mr. Mason Series Overview Series 1 The first series started on 26 September 2010, and explored the lives of the Crawley family and their staff from the day after the sinking of the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RMS_Titanic RMS Titanic] in April 1912 to the outbreak of the First World War on 4 August 1914. Much of the focus is on the need for a male heir to the Grantham estate, and the troubled love life of Lady Mary as she attempts to find herself a suitable husband. The device that sets the drama in motion is the entail that accompanies the (fictional) Earldom of Grantham, which endows both title and estate exclusively to heirs male. This is complicated by the fact that the estate had been near financial ruin, and was only saved when the present Earl, then the heir apparent, contracted a wealthy marriage with an extremely rich American heiress. Upon marriage, her considerable fortune was contractually incorporated into the comital entail in perpetuity. The Earl, having had only three daughters and no son, had arranged for his elder daughter to marry her cousin, and son to the heir presumptive, thus keeping both title and estate within the immediate family. The demise of both heirs presumptive in the sinking of the Titanic destroys the family plans and brings a distant cousin, a young solicitor from Manchester, in line to inherit everything, including the personal wealth of the Countess, who will not be able to bequeath it to her daughters. Series 2 In 2010, Laura Mackie, ITV Director of Drama Commissioning, confirmed that the drama would return for a second series in 2011: We're delighted with the audience response to Downton Abbey and the positive critical reaction. We're extremely proud to have commissioned a series, which has clearly captivated ITV1 viewers. Consequently, we're thrilled to be announcing the recommission of a new series for 2011 which will allow us to spend more time with the Crawley family and their servants. This series consists of 8 episodes spanning from 1916 - 1919, and follows the lives of the Crawley family and their servants. The second series premiered in the UK on 18 September 2011, and is due to do so in the U.S. on 8 January 2012. There will also be a Christmas special. Series 3 It was confirmed at the preview of the second series, at Highclere Castle on 29 July 2011, that Fellowes was working on a third series, set after the Armistice and during the 1920s. Amy Nuttall will not return for the third series. ITV confirmed the commissioning of a third series on 3 November 2011. It will enter production in early 2012, and air from September 2012.